Friday morning, I woke up early to do my research for my practicum. It was quite boring coz I am the only one in the house. Prince and Ashley went to their respective universities, uncle on his work in the hospital and aunt was with her friends.
I scanned the pages of the book and then I just stared at it for sometime. I don’t know why, my mind was really not working that time. The pages flipped suddenly as it went back to the early pages I have been reading these past few days and it ended up on page 7.
I smiled unconsciously for I was really thinking of VII especially that he’s already here. Thanks to my in law. Thanks for being a blabber mouth. *laughs
‘I wonder where’s VII right now....’ I murmured.
He’s not with in law because in law’s busy too in the university just like Prince. In their house? Maybe? I checked my mails and I saw Prince online, he’s with in law. Prince asked me to buy something for his Literature class and give it to him later but I told him I can’t coz I am waiting for VII’s text. He insisted me and in law told me that VII’s phone was lost. Moreover, in law didn’t know where he was. *sighs Maybe I can’t see him right now.
I stood up and kept the materials I used, “Sorry, books, papers and pens. I have lost my interest on you right now. Let’s just continue our business later.”
I changed my clothes and went outside the house. I started the engine of my bike and left. I went to my gang’s place to have some talk with Banchou-sama or with Shinji first but they were busy with their businesses so I left. I went to the bookstore. I looked for the book and found it so easily. I don’t wanna go yet so I looked something for VII too. Furthermore, I don’t wanna miss the chance to read some comic books so I went on reading some and I snickered and laugh. The customers looked at me so I stopped reading and returned the books. I don’t wanna be called Mr. Funny bones or what.
Anyways, as I make my way into the corner of the shelf, I bumped onto someone. I hurriedly said ‘Sorry’ until I got to look onto his face.
‘VII...’ I grinned. ‘I finally found you.’
He smirked and turned his back from me. As he started to make his pace away from me, I grabbed his wrist and pull him back into my arms. I hugged him. I hugged him so tightly that I only felt his heart beat, nothing else. Why? I don’t know. Maybe because I am nervous in seeing him again and what he’d tell me. Yet, I am so happy. Then I noticed this little girl watching us. So I removed my arms around him but I kept on holding his wrist.
‘You won’t leave me again,’ I uttered while glaring at him. The little girl was still watching us and so I pinched her cheek. ‘You are so lovely to look at but we are lovelier, aren’t we?’
The little girl just giggled and went away. I glared back at VII. ‘You’ll come with me.’ I smiled, ‘I never thought that I’ll see you here.’
He didn’t respond. I called my gang mate, Ruric and favored him to give the book to Prince as I pay on the cashier. After paying, we stayed outside the book store and waited for my gang mate to arrive. Still, I was holding his wrist.
‘Aren’t you glad?’ I asked him.
‘About what?’ he lit up his cigar and blew the smoke to my face.
I coughed yet I smiled, ‘About seeing me again?’
‘Tsk.’
I smiled again.
‘Why are you smiling?’
‘Because we’re together, that you are here with me again,’ I am still smiling.
He blew the smoke again, ‘What? You forced me to come with you. It’s not my free will, you stupid.’
‘Ah, so you’re telling me that you really don’t want to see me?’ I tighten my grip. ‘That’s why I am forcing you for you not to avoid me and leave me again.’
‘But you know, I can really do better than that,’ he stared at me. ‘I can hand cuffs you, pin you down and torture you whenever I want.’
‘Oh, yeah? Then why don’t you do it to me now?’ I challenged him.
‘Stupid. Really really stupid.’
‘Hey, I was just kidding!’ I chuckled. ‘By the way, I texted you and mailed you but in law told me that you lost your phone somewhere. So maybe, our meeting was a mere coincidence?’
He tilted his head, looks like he was thinking. ‘No idea,’ he finally uttered, ‘I was just wandering around the city and I decided to go and look for something good to read in the bookstore and there I saw you.’
‘Ah, you don’t need to buy a book. I already bought something for you...’ I smiled.
VII just looked at me and then Ruric arrived.
‘Ahoy, Akim!’
‘Hey, dude. Here’s the book my cousin needs. Meet him at the gate in his university, ok?’ I gave him the book.
‘Sure! But wait, why can’t you?’ he kept the book in his messenger bag.
‘Uhm...’ I looked at VII, he was still smoking. ‘I still have a date.’
‘What? Date?’ he curiously asked. ‘You just broke up with the girl last month and now you already have a new girlfriend? Good Jesus, I am so happy for you dude!’
‘Huh? You freak! I don’t have any girlfriend right now.’
‘Liar!’ he chuckled. ‘I’ll tell Banchou-sama about this! You really rock, Akim!’ He was still chuckling while showing his middle finger to us.
‘Hey!’ I kicked his bike’s tire. ‘You stupid freak! I don’t know you! Don’t show your face to me again!’ I chuckled too.
‘What? Are you condemning me?’ he snickered. ‘Tell me who’s his girl, ok?’ He’d tap VII but I halted him from doing it.
‘Ah, geez! Don’t touch him with your filthy hands! Please! Just go now, Ruric!’ I exclaimed.
‘Fine. Fine. I’ll go now and tell your cousin too about your new girlfriend!’ Ruric laughed his head off and left us.
‘Damn you!’ I shouted.
‘So that’s how gangsters talk....’ VII said.
I looked at him and inspected his clothes, ‘That guy really sucks. He shouldn’t have soiled a prince’s clothing.’
‘I am no prince,’ he threw the cigarette butt on the street gutter. ‘Trash talkers.’
‘Well, yeah...sometimes...ugh, let’s just don’t talk about what had happened a while ago,’ I started to walk, I mean we started to walk. I was still holding his wrist.
‘You are a chickboy, aren’t you?’
‘Huh? Why asking that question?’ I was looking at the stores.
‘Because of what Ruric said before about the new girlfriend. I find it quite controversial, that’s why. Maybe you already have a reserved girlfriend.’
I chuckled. ‘You are kidding! You know that is ridiculous!’
‘I am not. Anyhow, I’ll just think about it.’
‘For what?’ I stopped walking. ‘Aren’t you satisfied with what I am doing right now? I mean, I already asked you for a date in your account this morning and I texted you too.’
‘A date...?’ he looked at me solemnly.
‘Akim!’
I looked at my left side and saw one my gang mate, Zeek. He approached us.
‘Good heavens you are here, our new restaurant needs an entertainer. Will you, will you?’ he was pushing me towards the restaurant.
‘Huh? What will I do?’
‘Just sing! Or...dance! Act also if you want! You’re an all around entertainer, right?’ Zeek grinned as we enter the restaurant.
‘Ugh, but Zeek, I can’t—‘
‘I want to see and hear you sing,’ VII quipped.
‘Ah...’ I looked at him.
‘Yeah, right! Sing for us! Ah...the meal’s free for the two of you!’ he offered seats for us.
‘Alright,’ I smiled.
‘Ah, Akim?’
‘Yes?’
‘Your...’ he scratched his head.
‘What?’
‘Your hand. I mean you’re still holding his wrist.’
‘It’s none of your business,’ I chuckled and I removed my hand on his wrist. ‘By the way, is this your restaurant?’
‘Yep! Family business!’ Zeek smiled. ‘It’s the first branch here in our district and I hope it would be successful.’
‘Ah, that’s cool,’ I smiled too.
‘Oh...’ he was looking somewhere over the counter, ‘the master’s calling me. I’ll call you later for your performance,’ and he left. Another waiter served us some appetizers and beverages.
‘Are you all gangsters delinquents?’ VII asked me.
I shook my head. ‘I am no delinquent. Some are and some aren’t. Some are wealthy and some are not. Some are good and some are bad. But it doesn’t matter as long as we have the bond. The brotherhood bond.’
‘The brotherhood huh? Well, all right. Do you guys have some initiation?’ he sipped on his drink.
‘Yeah, but everything went well in my part. I am good, you know,’ I chuckled. ‘Ah, VII...’
He looked at me.
I gave him the book I bought for him, ‘Hope you like it.’
He picked up the book on the table and scanned through the pages while I was just staring at him, my hands clasped together. I studied his face, his skin and his hands. A few minutes have passed and I found myself rubbing my fingers gently on his pale skin.
‘Your skin’s delicate and so soft,’ I stared on my fingers, rubbing his skin, ‘a prince’s skin...’
He didn’t respond, yet continued reading.
‘Do you often get scars during missions?’
‘Well, on average yes. I never finish a mission without any scars. I even get scars from my Leader. He hits us whenever we commit a failure. But then again, it’s all part of our job.’
‘In law hits you guys?’
‘When it comes to mission, no one knows him very well than us. He’s a strict leader, like a lion... a roaring lion.’
I chuckled, ‘I can’t imagine.’
‘Don’t.’
‘Hm, alright...’ I was still amazed and stared on his face again.
He leaned towards me and patted my forehead, ‘Stop staring at me.’
‘Why? Is it a sin to stare at you?’
‘It’s kinda tongue-tied.’
‘For you....’ I looked at the other customers, ‘or for them?’ I smiled.
He sighed.
‘I don’t care.’ I pinched his cheek lightly, ‘Geez, I really wanted to pinch you for a long time now!’
‘Ok? Why do you want to pinch me, anyway?’ he raised his eye brow.
‘Ah,’ I was so shy to tell him the reason.
‘What? Are you going to tell me or what? I’ll leave—‘
‘No!’ I actually stood up from where I am for me to restrain him from standing, ‘Please don’t leave. I...I...’
‘You, what?’
‘I like to feel more of you,’ I gave him an introverted smile as I scratch my head. ‘Geez, you are black mailing me.’
‘Huh? I am not. Tsk,’ he touched his cheek, ‘Your pinch was so weak. I am not hurt, actually.’
‘Of course, I don’t want to hurt you.’
‘You already did for a thousand times now.’
I was speechless.
‘Forget it,’ he smirked, ‘Do you say that to everyone you know? Tsk. I may not buy onto that.’
‘It’s alright, it’s kinda common and words can’t express what someone really feels. But right now, what important is-‘
‘May I call on our first performer for the day, Mr. Shin Caelum,’ Zeek introduced me as the audience cheered.
‘Wew, so formal,’ I stood up. ‘I’ll be back.’
I went to the stage and set the instruments. There was the acoustic guitar that I’d be using and a beat boxer too. Good thing I have company. Before we started...
‘The important thing right now, is to show what I really feel.’
The beat boxer started on with his beat and I followed him with my plucking. I started singing. After series of songs...
‘This last song is for you...’ I uttered and started to sing my last song.
Your face lights up the sky on the highway.
Someday, you'll share your world with me someday.
You mesmerize me with diamond eyes;
I try to fool myself to think I'll be alright.
But I am losing all control -
My mind, my heart, my body and my soul
Never in my life have I been more sure,
So come on up to me and close the door.
Nobody's made me feel this way before;
You're everything I wanted and more.
To speak or not to; where to begin.
The way dilemmas I'm finding myself in.
For all I know you only see me as a friend.
I try to tell myself wake up fool; this fairy tale's got to end.
Never in my life have I been more sure,
So come on up to me and close the door.
Nobody's made me feel this way before;
You're everything I wanted more
You're everything I wanted
After, I went back to my seat. VII was still reading.
‘Looks like you’re enjoying the book I bought for you, ‘I smiled. ‘I’m happy.’
He didn’t respond.
‘And it looks like you didn’t bother to listen to me a while ago.’
‘I listened to every single stanza you sang a while ago,’ he looked at me and placed the book on the table.
I chuckled and then sighed, ‘I don’t want to hear from you that I am forcing you or what. It’s just—‘
‘You’re cute when you’re quiet so just shut up.’
I just smiled. Our meal was served now.
‘Itadakimasu!’
‘Itadakimasu.’
And we ate. I told him stories and asked him about his dates before while we were eating and I can’t help but to stare at him.
‘So...how were your dates before?’
‘I never dated anyone before,‘ his slicing the mutton with refinement.
My eyes widened but I didn’t speak up.
‘All right, I had a fiancée way back in the past when I was still a prince. We’re always together and...’
‘And?’ I was really curious. I wanted to know he dated his fiancée before.
‘The end.’
‘Huh? Oh come on, what does she looks like?”
‘She’s a princess from a well-known clan in our kingdom. She’s a beautiful princess, always wearing flowery dress. That’s all I can say.’
I nodded, ‘I see.’
‘Though she’s not as beautiful compare to you...’ he looked at me in my eyes.
‘Hey! I’m not comparing myself to her. She’s a woman, and I’m a man. How can a man be beautiful over a woman?’
‘There’s always an exception in every rule, and you’re the exception to that rule,’ he was still looking at me.
I looked down and continued eating; I don’t know what to say?
‘You’re also cute when you’re embarrassed.’
‘Hey! I am not embarrassed—‘
‘Come on, I know that you are,’ he sipped on his drink.
‘You could just say that I am handsome—‘
‘Geez,’ he sound pissed off, ‘I told you that you are the exception to that rule. You are beautiful, Shin. Period.’
I don’t know what to say anymore. I felt my cheeks burning, for real.
‘Why are you blushing?’ VII asked me, looking at me again.
‘Huh?’ I touched my face with both of my hands, trying to hide my face. ‘I am not.’
‘Yes, you are.’
‘I am not,’ I shook my head.
‘Yes, you are, Shin. Don’t deny such a thing which is so obvious,’ he removed my hands and he kept on staring at me for a while. ‘You know what, you are becoming more beautiful when I see you blushing.’
Ok? I am so speechless right now. I really don’t know what to say. Tsk. After eating, I asked VII if he could come with me in the arcades. I don’t feel introverted anymore so I have the guts again to ask him. *grins I know he hates those but maybe this time, he might come. I crossed my fingers! He stood up and started to go outside of the restaurant.
‘Ugh, wait!’ I exclaimed. ‘Zeek! I‘ll go now, thanks for the meal! See you around!’
‘Sure! Thanks to you too!’ he responded.
I followed VII outside and I held onto his wrist again. He looked at me, his eyes were asking why?
‘I told you, you won’t leave me again. And, I won’t let go off you so easily,’ I told him. ‘Where are you going?’
‘To the arcade you are going to.’
‘Huh? For real?’
He nodded and we walked.
‘Wow. A serious guy like you would go to arcades?’ I chuckled.
‘Tsk. This would be the first and last time, Shin.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes,’ he sighed.
‘I’m not forcing you about this too, VII. If you don’t want to then we’ll not go. We can go somewhere else.’
‘No, it’s alright. I could use my iPod to restrain from those noises. I hope I won’t become deaf.’
I smirked, ‘Don’t worry, there are still classes so there’d be no students in the arcades right now. ‘Oh! There are dance revos there! Do you wanna try that?’ I grinned.
‘Hm, alright.’
‘You won’t listen to your iPod anymore?’
He nodded.
‘We’ll just play?’ I grinned.
‘I’ll try.’
‘No, you should do it!’ I chuckled. ‘I’m excited! I’ll see you play!’
‘Tsk,’ he sighed. We went to the arcade and good thing only a few are playing. VII tried different stuff there but we really enjoyed playing the dance revo. We stayed there for almost three hours playing and the next pit stop was in a park. I know he missed smoking that’s why I chose to bring him there. We sat near the river bank, he continued reading while smoking and I was doing nothing? *Laughs I don’t know what to do that time so…
‘I’ll just go and buy something over there, VII,’ I told him.
‘Sure.’
‘Don’t go somewhere else,’ I warned him but he didn’t respond. I went to a convenient store and bought something to drink and to eat.
‘I’m back,’ I told him as I sat beside him, ‘Here’s your drink and snack, sir. Sorry, I am not as sophisticated like in law or Prince. I hope you would still like these,’ I gave him his snack.
‘It’s alright, you don’t need to say sorry,’ he took his snack and ate it.
‘Do you want to drink later?’
‘Nah, I don’t want to be kissed again.’
‘Ah, but we’ll eat in an authentic Japanese restaurant nearby and drink sake…’
‘I’ll think about it,’ he flipped the page of the book.
‘Alright,’ I smiled and after 2 hours of waiting for the answer, he agreed to eat and drink with me in an authentic Japanese restaurant, about 8 in the evening. By the way, VII ‘s halfway in finishing the book I gave him.
‘By the way, I have something to tell you,’ VII said.
‘Ok?’ I was afraid to hear what he would say this time. He was really serious and his eyes were scary.
‘What’s with that look?’ he smirked. ‘I won’t eat you or what. Tsk. I’d like to tell you that I really didn’t lose my phone.’
‘Huh? What do you mean by that exactly?’ I bite on the tempura.
‘We were lying to you. I ask a favour to your in law not to tell you that I already read your message to me. I just wanted to know how much perseverance you have in order to see me,’ he sipped on his sake.
‘Ah...’ I nodded, ‘and?’
‘I am becoming impatient because I thought you wouldn’t do anything,’ he looked at me, ‘but then I saw your mail and text message to me so I’m kinda surprised about that and I even got excited of seeing you too.’
I smiled. I just let him speak that time.
‘I actually waiting for you outside of your house and saw you leaving. I followed you until you saw me in the book store.’
‘Oh, so you are stalking me?’ I chuckled.
‘Hey, it’s not like that—‘
‘You don’t need to deny the obvious,’ I was still chuckling.
‘That’s all.’
I sipped on my drink, ‘I actually thought you didn’t want to see me at first but then it was the other way around. I hope you are enjoying things with me, VII. I am at cloud nine f seeing you again. Thank you...’
‘Thanks for what?’
‘Thanks for everything,’ I smiled.
‘Huh? Everything? I haven’t done anything good to you yet—‘
‘You already did.’
‘And, what was that actually?’ he was just staring at me.
I grinned at him and stared at him too.
‘Alright, if you don’t want to say it then don’t.’
I was still staring at him. Around 11 in the evening, we finished drinking and we walked back to the parking lot near the bookstore.
‘I’ll ride you home, VII,’ I told him, holding his wrist again and he simply nodded. ‘You know, I’ve been waiting for some resistance from your part...’ I looked down, on my hand holding his wrist.
VII looked at it too and he removed my hand but I hold onto his wrist again.
‘I like it this way, better,’ I smiled. ‘The people around us were actually staring and they were making different reactions in their faces. It’s fun observing them. But I liked the most, is the little girl in the book store, an innocent girl.’
VII smirked he put his other hand in his pocket..
I looked at him, ‘I remembered something, VII.’
‘What is it?’ ‘In our university, seat codes are used. In one of my classes before, my seat code was L7,‘ I smiled.
‘Really?’
I nodded, ‘I wondered if that does mean that we are—’
‘I thought you don’t believe in destiny.’
‘Yes, but I find it so interesting,’ I looked at the stars.
‘Interesting, huh?’
I nodded and smiled, ‘I don’t know why. Somehow, it’s kinda funny for me coz I really don’t think things seriously. You know what I mean, I am not a deep thinker like you.’
‘So? What If you aren’t a deep thinker like me? ’
‘Nothing, I guess. I am just proud with what I was doing lately and all of these were because of you.’
‘What’s the nexus?’
‘Because after you avoided me, I thought of lots of things or rather lots of questions. Though I found it more special coz...’ I looked at him, ‘I think about you. Everything was all about you. Do you think I’m still stupid? Or something else?’
‘You’re too dumb to know so don’t ask me. I won’t tell you the answer.’
‘Oh, please tell me...’ I grinned.
‘No.’
‘Pff.’ We were walking towards the bus stop, waiting for the red lights. ‘Oh, do you want to know how I hitch girls when I was still in the states?’
‘Sure.’
‘The magic words are, ‘he’s not coming’. I tell the lone girls this line and among them all, one will agree with me. Though some think I’m crazy because of that,’ I chuckled. ‘I use it annually.’
I let go off his wrist and told him, ‘Can you see that lady sitting with red scarf? I’ll approach her and tell her the line.’
I approached the lady in the red scarf, VII was behind my back, smoking.
‘He’s not coming,’ I said as I sat beside the lady. The lady looked at me sadly and she hugged me suddenly. She even cried on my shoulder.
‘He really breaks promises! I shouldn’t have trusted him!’
VII faked a cough, looks like he was teasing me.
‘I waited for him here for almost 4 hours and nothing of him! He didn’t even bother to text or call me!’ the lady hugged me tighter.
VII faked a cough again, this time it’s louder and it looked like he’s not teasing me anymore.
‘That’s bad but don’t worry, there are many fishes in the ocean,’ I smiled.
She looked at me.
‘It’s really cold so you must go home now...ugh, and you can keep this...’ I gave her the gloves I bought the other day and stood up.
‘We’ll talk later,’ VII reprimanded.
‘How about now?’ I smiled at him and saw the lady smiled at me as she walked away. We were all alone now, still in front of the bus stop.
‘No. We’ll talk about it privately,’ his voice was stern.
I peeked around, ‘Are you jealous?’
‘What?’ he threw the cigarette butt on the ground. ‘Of course not.’
‘Then why do you look like you are? Is it about the gloves I gave her?’ I looked at him.
He didn’t respond, instead he placed both of his hands in his pockets.
I smiled, ‘Are you cold?’
He looked at me fiercely.
‘Oh come on, VII. You know, you deserve better gloves than the one I gave her,’ I took his hand and cuddled it in front of me. ‘My hands would be your gloves, and your hands would be my gloves.’
‘Shin, why did you miss me?’ his eyes were tantalizing.
‘When will I see you smile?’ I asked him too.
Moments of silence, I thought he would never say a word but then, ‘When the time comes that you have a reason to kiss me...’ his voice was amorous.
I reached for his cheek, caressed it and smiled. I leaned my face closer, looked at his eyes and laid my lips very gently. VII, I think was stunned of what I did? After I kiss his cheek, I slowly let him go. I held his arms, letting my hands fall down into his hands and kissed them. I look at him and he was motionless.
‘The reason why I missed you is the exact same reason why I kissed you, VII. I think.... I’m falling for you’
He didn’t respond at the same time, I felt my cheeks burning again. Then, I heard some voices. I looked and saw these girls coming. I suddenly felt nervous and I let go off his hands. VII glared at them and to me too. The girls smile at us but both of us ignored them. We walked across the highway and I felt something warm on my hand, VII was holding my hand.
‘I need my gloves.’
I smiled. We walked, both of us were still speechless until we reached the parking lot and I drove him home.
‘See you around,’ VII told me as he gave back the helmet.
‘Sure, thanks for coming with me today even it’s kinda forced?’ I chuckled. ‘I hope you enjoyed our date.’
He simply nodded.
‘VII? Shin?’ in law said as he approached us from the gate of the house then he suddenly chuckled.
‘Hi there, in law, what’s up?’ I smiled.
‘Doing good,’ he was still chuckling. ‘I thought you do really have a new girlfriend in law. Tsk!’
‘Huh?’ I remembered something and I shook my head. ‘Geez, that Ruric.’
‘So you two have been dating, like what had in law said in his comment to my life.’
‘Yeah?’ I chuckled. ‘What? Is it wrong?’
‘I didn’t say anything,’ in law smiled. ‘Go inside now, brother. Time’s up for your date with my in law.’
VII nodded and went inside the house.
‘In law, that’s unfair! I haven’t said goodnight to him.’
In law laughed sinisterly, ‘Better luck next time!’
‘Pff. Really unfair.’
‘You did something great today, I guess and I’m proud of you in law, making the first step this time. You know, he was becoming impatient because of you,’ he tapped me.
‘Yeah, he told me a while ago. But, in law...when I was with him, I don’t feel tired,’ I sighed and smiled. ‘Thanks for being a blabber mouth.’
He chuckled but then he became serious, ‘In law, there’s something I want to tell you’
‘Yes? What’s that?’
‘Brother is not as tough as he looks like,’ he folded his arms.
‘What? I don’t understand.’
‘He’s like your cousin, I’m not saying they’re not strong but they’re delicate and fragile. Their emotions are their soft spot.’
I nodded, ‘I see.’
‘I am not saying this to you just for you to know, the thing I want you to know is how to handle it correctly. You know what I mean right?’
‘I guess so...’
‘You’re mature in law, you know what to do. And besides, I trust you.’
‘Thanks a lot in law.’
‘You’re welcome, anyway go now and rest. I know this day became tiring for the both of you,’ he smiled.
‘Sure, thanks again,’ and I left.
Before I went to sleep, I called VII. I’m happy that he’s phone wasn’t lot.
‘Ugh, hi VII. Good thing you’re still awake...ah, I forgot to tell you something. Good night, VII…’ I smiled. ‘Sweet dreams also…thanks…wait! Wait a sec, VII…VII…I…I…I miss you…’ I giggled and waited for him to end the call.
